D. Characters

[Page 169]

Dr. Salomon (Szlomo) Weinziher

by Abram Liwer

Translated by Ricky Benhart (nee Schikman)

When I was a young boy, my grandfather, who was active in the community of our
city used to mention the name of Weinziher very often, as someone with whom he
used to work together in community matters. I remember that my grandfather once
brought me to the home of Weinziher, when his wife still worked as a dentist,
for her to give me something against toothache. My grandfather then said:
 You see this Dr. Weinziher, even though he speaks only
Polish he is a fine man with a good Jewish heart, and helps many poor Jewish
people in our city.

I never thought then that in later years I would become one of Weinziher's
close friends, and a close co-worker in his social and Judo-political matters.
Before I come to my proper task at hand, to describe Dr. Weinziher, as a man
and as a Jew,  a couple of words about my grandfather who contributed
immensely to Dr. Weinziher's coming and settling in our city.

Dr. Salomon (Szlomo)
Weinziher

My grandfather's scope of learning consisted of knowing how to pray, to recite
a chapter of psalms, to go over the portion of the Torah of the week, and to be
able to sign his name. But he was a tremendous businessman, with a large, warm
Jewish heart. A rich man, numbered among the respected people in town, popular
because of his social commitment. He was a warden in the community, which meant
in those days, that he was boss over city issues. He was a generous charity
giver; he supported on his own a Chassidic shtibel (prayer house) in his home,
and in his old days he hired Avremele Hendels, the Bendiner genius in learning,
as a teacher. He sat with him every evening in the shtibel and had a lesson
with him. He supported poor retailers. He helped them manage their stores. He
raised his 4 sons and son-in-law as learned Torah followers and important
businessmen. In general my grandfather was always ready to help individuals and
the community at large. And when the Bendiner synagogue needed a concrete
fence, my grandfather had it made at his own expense.

Everyone in the city knew that if you were in a pinch, you went to the Big
Ruwen as he was lovingly referred to, because of this athletic
build and snow-white beard. I would like to remark that his grandchildren were
community minded, and leaders in various organizations in the city  from
the Zionistic Labor Party to the Agudah: this was inherited from our
grandfather.

Dr. Weinziher settled in Bendin at the end of the nineteenth century. He came
from a very assimilated family in Pietrikow, where his brothers became doctors
and engineers. Shortly after his arrival to our city he displayed interests for
community welfare work, in those days it was called philanthropy.
He was the organizer of the well-known institute called in Polish Towaszistwo
Dobroczynnocz, and was its president for many years.
This organization's purpose was to help the sick as well as the orphans. It is
from this effort that later on the orphanage was built, which was one of the
most splendid institutions in Bendin and the region. It is these efforts and
work for the Jewish institutions that made Weinziher so beloved and popular in
our city, in all classes of the Jewish population. Weinziher always spoke
Polish although he understood Yiddish well, and he enjoyed it when he could
throw in some Yiddish words into his Polish speeches. No one complained about
his Polish speaking, because they felt that the Polish speaking stemmed from a
Jewish heart.

After World War I broke out, Weinziher also became active on the Polish front.
During the German occupation, the first city council elections were held in
Bendin, which resulted in a Jewish majority. These election results worried the
Polish people, who didn't want to deal with a Jewish majority in the City
Council. They, therefore, came up with a gutsy suggestion that the Jews should
give up their majority in favor of the Polish population. The Jewish council
members, led by Dr. Weinziher, rejected proudly this unheard of suggestion, and
took over the leadership of the City Council. Dr. Weinziher was elected as
chairman. This case was a big sensation in the country; imagine! A Jewish City
Council! An exception in all of Poland; and when Icchak Grinbaum, after
Poland's liberation, came back to Poland, he said to me: Your Bendin
Sanhedrin (City Council) was very popular and famous; it was talked about even
as far as Russia.

Weinziher was not a Zionist, but he still cooperated and worked with the
Zionists. Zionistic work  he stated  means fighting for Jewish
rights at the same time, and for such a fight he was always ready to give of
his time. We, Zionists, therefore, also always supported him in all of his
important positions; whether in the Jewish or non-Jewish institutions. We
helped him become elected as community president of our city, although we
should perhaps have tried to place a Zionist in this position. We had
tremendous confidence in him. His honesty and energy made him liked in all
classes of the Jewish population. He understood the Jewish masses, felt their
needs and always made an effort to help them.

When the first elections for the Polish parliament (the Sejm) came about, the
Zaglembie area was permitted to vote in a Jewish deputy, with one condition,
that all the Jews together would vote on one voting list. The only person that
could reunite around one person all the different parties was Dr. Weinziher,
and he was indeed elected as a Sejm deputy. That made a tremendous impression
on him. And when the writer of this article went the day after the elections,
with the renown Mizrachi leader, Beresh Preger, to greet and to congratulate
him on behalf of the Zionist movement, for his election as deputy, one felt
from his answer, that now he is not only a Bendiner social worker, but a
messenger from all of Polish Jewry; and he is ready to defend their interests
before the Polish parliament.

We, Zionists, directed the whole voting process to the Sejm. I used to travel
with Dr. Weinziher in the cities and towns from the whole area of Sosnowiec,
Dabrowa, Zawierce, Zarki, and speak to the Jewish masses in synagogues and
schools. Dr. Weinziher used to speak in Polish. Often during these trips, he
would say to me; I wish I could speak to my Jews in the language that you
speak to them. His Polish speeches, however, strongly warmed the Jewish
listeners and they felt that they were being spoken to by a great, warm-hearted
Jew. In the Sejm, Dr. Weinziher, although no Zionist, immediately joined the
National Council of the Zionistic group, and experienced all their battles
against the Polish government and defended Jewish rights.

It is difficult, in a short article to describe his work in the government. I
would just like to point out that when there was friction between the groups of
Greenboim vs Reich, at that point Dr. Weinziher was elected as president to the
Jewish KOLO in the Sejm. Everyone understood, at that point, that
with his honesty, he would be able to avoid a split between the Jewish deputies
of Congress Poland vs those of Galician Poland. Bendin had a great deal of
capable and devoted social workers, who worked for many years for the good of
the social community and contributed greatly to the development of Jewish life
in Bendin, but according to how my memory serves me, Bendin never made any
banquet to honor these people. An exception was made for Dr. Weinziher, and
this, in itself, is proof of the respect accorded to him.

Several years prior to the outbreak of the horrible war, Dr. Weinziher turned
60. During a meeting of some social activists and do-gooders in the home of a
woman, who herself was very well-liked in our city, Cyrele Szajn, a decision
was taken to make a banquet in his honor as acknowledgement for his worthy
work, combined with his birthday. In the Warsaw press, especially in the
newspaper, Nasz Pszegland there appeared a series of articles
praising his work as Sejm deputy, while indicating that although he comes from
an assimilated background, he, nevertheless, demonstrated his Jewish pride and
his love for the Jewish masses, both as a doctor and as a social worker.

The banquet took place in the orphanage, in the building that was the crown of
all his endeavors. Dr. Weinziher was always an open-minded person. When they
informed him about the banquet, he didn't say, as some often do  why are
you doing this? On the contrary, he was very happy. With moving words he said
to the person penning this article, I'm proud that my work for this city
is being appreciated. True, I couldn't always please everyone with my work,
that's why I'm all the more proud of the confidence they have in me, and that
is the best reward for all the long years of work. This gives me energy to
continue working many more years for Jewish interests. He also remarked:
I know that as is the custom, there will be many speeches at the banquet,
but I'm impatient to hear particularly 2 speeches and they will be in Yiddish
 your speech, Mr. Liwer, and Dr. Liberman's speech.

Dr. Weinziher worked in the Jewish Hospital in Sosnowiec. Dr. Liberman, a
significant social worker, also worked there, although a leftist Labor Zionist.
Dr. Weinziher praised greatly Dr. Liberman's work, as councilor in the City
Council of Sosnowiec. With these couple of words I want to emphasize his
relationship and attitude to close friends and to everything Jewish.

All party activists from the whole Zaglembie area came to the banquet. This was
a means of expressing appreciation for a man who devoted the greatest part of
his life for his brethren, and forever felt the responsibilities that the
Jewish society imposed upon him.

The last time I saw him was on a Friday, the first days that the Nazis attacked
Poland. A couple of moments together and we said goodbye. And just as then,
when I was a young man, I didn't think that Dr. Weinziher would one day become
such a close friend, so also, this Friday, I never thought that this was to be
the last time I would talk to him and that this was the last hand-shake I was
to have with a man that I was so close to for more than 30 years.

I left Będzin that same day, and after a lengthy journey, reached that big and
free land of America.

Dr. Weinziher had possibilities to leave Bendin. He didn't do it. He no longer
was a social worker, no longer a fighter for Jewish rights. He returned to his
medical practice. His heart surely bled watching what became of the
representation of Jewish Bendin. He worked for the poor, for the sick, and
ached with pity for the Jewish masses, for them that he had expended such
energy and effort  and with them together he went to the tragic death
 that the Nazi murderers had prepared for them.

He lived a proud Jewish life until his last days. Did not sully his name until
the last moments of his tragic perishing.

Pride be given to his wonderful memory!

[Page 170]

Eliezer Rubinlicht

(Chairman of the Community, Vice-President of the City Council)

by D. L.

Translated by Ricky Benhart (nee Schikman)

He came from Warsaw and became a Bendiner son-in-law. He became actively
involved in the political social life of the city. He was among the first
establishers of Hazemer where cultural activists concentrated after
World War I.

He impressed with his appearance, which called for respect. He managed a large
wholesale business of paper. Shortly he was drawn into the business circles,
and became the main speaker of all business meetings and assemblies.

Since 1913, chairman of the Business Club; known as a business social worker
who is ready to help everyone. Did not belong to any political party but voted
through the business exchange for the City Council and since Poland's existence
until 1938, he was active in the City Council; quite a while as Vice President
of the City Council and in the last years as alderman. Since 1912 he carried
out an energetic battle against the Endekes boycotts; and later also against
imposed Sunday as a rest day. There existed no help-action in the city of which
Rubinlicht was not one of the leaders.

In 1936, he was elected as chairman of the Community executive. He was an
executive member of the Chamber of Commerce in Sosnowiec and commercial judge
in the Sosnowiec chamber tribunes.

Eliezer Rubinlicht

It is difficult to remember all the positions and posts that he held in the
social life of Będzin.

During the war he was pushed out of the social work, he was also in no way
ready to work with those that collaborated with the Germans.

He was shot by the Germans in one of the last evictions.

[Page 171]

Reb Mendel Rozenzaft

by Dawid Liwer

Translated by Ricky Benhart (nee Schikman)

He was one of our most distinguished Jews and an outstanding type of
personality.

He was born in 1863. His father, Mosze Szmul, was a great Torah student and one
of the most important men around the Gerer Rebbe, called the CHIDUSHEI RIM
(Z"L). Reb Mendel, received as was usual, a traditional Jewish education
in Cheder and Yeshiva. Already in his young years he became known as a genius;
was married young and became a son-in-law by the known wealthy man, Reb Jenkele
Szapiro, who was know in Bendin as a gentle man and a very charitable man. The
person that ran the business of his father-in-law (supplying of smelting for
glassworks), was his young wife, Dworele.

The atmosphere in his father-in-law's house and his way of life had a strong
influence on the young student of Torah. For example, Reb Jenkele Szapiro kept
five young boys in his house that learned Torah; lived in this home on the top
floor room under the roof (in the attic). Thus Reb Mendel used to learn with
thee 5 boys until his father-in-law married them off.

In the Gerer Shtibel, which was not far from Reb Jenkele's house, as early as
four in the morning, winter and summer, serious students began learning. There
were such as Reb Izaac Erlichman, the 80-year old Jankel Dancygier, Reb Abram
Mordechai Gutensztajn, Reb Joszua Dawid, Majer Fiszel Rinsky, Abram Zelig
Erlich and Reb Jenkele Szapiro.

Many a time did the young Reb Mendel Rozenzaft go into battle with some of the
older ones regarding a tractate of the Gemara, which always ended with a hot
coffee brought daily from Reb Jenkele's home.

By Reb Jenkele Szapiro there was always a guest for Shabbat. In one of those
Shabbosim  at the beginning of World War I, when all the foreigners fled
Bendin, all the children sat around the table, but Reb Jenkele did not make
Kiddush  he was distressed by the fact that there was no guest for
Shabbat. He asked a grandchild to go quickly to the shtibel or to another
synagogue and see perhaps there was indeed someone left that had nowhere to eat
for Shabbat. When this grandchild came to the Shtibel he saw a man sitting
engrossed in his learning. The child said to the man: Reb Yid, come to my
grandfather for Shabbat! This man who was indeed a stranger in the city,
was however a wealthy businessman and was staying in a hotel. He then answered
the child: I have where to eat.

The grandchild insisted: Come to us, Reb Yid. Because my grandfather
refuses to make Kiddush if we have no guest. The stranger understood that
he can help a Jew do a good deed (a mitzvah), and he went along. Reb Jenkele
was very happy with the guest. His father-in-law confided in him that more than
once he sent a needy man to him in a secretive manner that the man should not
feel he is being helped; and the father-in-law did this because he knew that
his son-in-law was discreet. This also characterized throughout his life, all
of Reb Mendel's social activities in which he was drawn into during the First
World War. During the German occupation, when there was hunger in the city, Reb
Mendel would take out of his father-in-law's storage of food, and distribute it
among the poor in the city. Reb Mendel began his activities for the poor in the
Street (Gessel), where he lived, and later it expanded to include
all the activities for the needy in the whole city.

Reb Mendel Rozenzaft

Thus he started working for the good of the people, never looking to get any
reward from it. He didn't look at the fact that he was a great student and
highly knowledgeable in the Gemara and its commentaries; and was not
embarrassed to take care of the simple people who needed his help. He was a
clever man and knew how to speak to the people interspersing an anecdote when
possible. He didn't care that he was very religious and a member of Agudah, he
was, nevertheless esteemed and liked in all circles of the Jewish population,
from the Zionists to the leftists alike. And this because he was someone who
worked with honesty and with devotion for all alike.

And when, in 1914, the Committee was established and a kitchen was
opened to feed the poor with bread and warm food, Reb Mendel became its
greatest activist and kept after the wealthy in the city so that the kitchen
should be able to exist. Later on, with the foundation of the organization
called Dobroczynnocz, managed by the assimilated Jews, Reb Mendel
became there also one of the first and most active members, and was involved
with its development until the building of the large orphanage which housed
several hundred orphans.

It is interesting to note that notwithstanding that the largest part of this
organization consisted of mostly Polish-speaking intellectuals, Reb Mendel had
no problem mingling with them and speaking with them specially in Yiddish, in
the language of the masses that he was trying to help. There was in the city no
philanthropic organization in which Reb Mendel did not take part. Aside from
which, Reb Mendel was an institution in his own right without administrators,
budgets, or anyone else's help  all alone, he did not leave the wealthy
Bendiner people at rest, always requesting from them financial help for social
aims, which indeed they did not refuse him, and gave willingly.

As soon as winter approached Reb Mendel became busy gathering coal for the
poorer population of the city.

He came up to the well-known iron merchant Yakov Gutman, who immediately asked
him: Reb Mendel, how many wagons do you need? Upon which he
answered: For the time being about 15 wagons. When I need more, I'll come back
again. Or he came to the great benefactor, Szymon Fürstenberg, who
always gave generously and enjoyed the coal activity.

And when spring arrived, and Passover came upon them  then Reb Mendel
accompanied by the Rabbi approached the other respected residents for the
Passover Collect. And for Sukkoth (Tabernacles)  how can you shame
someone that he should not have to eat among his neighbors? So he again became
busy collecting. And so he went throughout the year in perpetual activities for
the poor. One purpose chased another. His house became a charity fund, without
anyone else's help, on his own, because he was particularly fond of giving
discreetly without anyone's knowledge. There were many families that were
helped without their knowing from where it came. He disliked being thanked, and
shirked recognition and honors. He did not want to become a leader of the
community, even though the Agudah wanted to have him as an official leader very
badly; he felt that these honorific positions would hinder his philanthropic
activities.

In order to illustrate his beautiful personality, we would like to transmit a
fact as told by Szmul Liwer:

It was Shavouoth 1938, and Reb Mendel came to my home accompanied by the known
wealthy man, Reb Dawid Lasker z"l. I was astonished, what is Reb Mendel
doing in the middle of the holidays by me? Upon this question, Reb Mendel
answered me: I need money  How come in Yom Tov (in the middle of the
holiday)  I asked him. He then explained to me: We must save a man who
will be evicted tomorrow and his belongings sold in auction. Thus was the way
of Reb Mendel: in order to save another Jew in a difficult situation, he was
ready to take money even on a Jewish holiday.

I can see his presence before me with his temperament, and always in motion,
his age notwithstanding. Of medium height, with broad shoulders, a full face
with a big beard, dressed in a long coat, impeccably clean, a scholar with not
a spot on his clothing. He belonged to the type of Jew where the candle was
always burning, the true Jewish fire that never was extinguished and was always
ready to bring warmth and light to the perplexed and the downtrodden; did not
spare his time in order to help others. He had in him a warm glowing heart and
a soft sensitive soul.

A glowing gentle image with fatherly love for each individual.

In the evening, when the Gessel was asleep, then Reb Mendel sat in
his room and learned, or he sat by himself and wrote, and he did write a lot.
Unfortunately we did not have the privilege to see his writings, which perished
together with him in the flames of Auschwitz.

May his memory be honored!

Of Mendel Rozenzaft's children there remained only one son, Josele, who lived
through the hell of Nazism.

He jumped from the train that was bringing the Bendiner Jews to Auschwitz; he
escaped from the labor camp; was again brought to Auschwitz; towards the end of
the war he was in the death-camp of Bergen-Belsen, where he tried to keep alive
the half dead muselmanen (the half-dead men); but all these
difficult tribulations did not break him morally  he remained the happy
and energetic Josel, who continued to spin further the golden thread of his
family, and continues the grand heritage of his illustrious father.

[Page 173]

Cyrele (Cesia) Szajn  The Mother of the Orphans

by Abram Liwer

Translated by Ricky Benhart (nee Schikman)

Someone that belonged to the characteristic personalities of Bendin, who played
a strong active role in the social and political life of Jewish Bendin, is the
modest and genteel woman called Cyrele Szajn; one of the most active doers on
all domains, who excelled in her devotion and energy. Thanks to her cooperation
many of the Bendiner institutions were able to reach the high level they did,
indeed, achieve.

Cyrele Szajn came from one of the finest Chassidic families in Warsaw, and
immediately after she settled in our city as wife of Icchok Szajn (a
respectable Zionist in the city), she began to show interest in social work and
became a respected member of Towaszistwo Dobroczynnocz 
Benevolent Society, the oldest philanthropic institution under the
leadership of Dr. Weinziher, and she helped to procure financial and medical
help for the poor masses. Of course, the institution had other co-workers as
well, who devoted a lot of time and effort, but Cyrele Szajn surpassed them
all. She bubbled with energy and it is not for nothing that she was referred to
as the mother of the orphans. From the first moment she devoted her
extraordinary aid for poor orphans. The old orphanage was established for many
years in several rooms in Dovidl Zmigrod's house. Cyrele came there daily
carrying the responsibility for the material and spiritual development of our
orphans. Like a mother  she bathed and combed, saw to it that the
nourishment was adequate, that teachers and melamdim (religious teachers)
should be qualified, so that the children should receive a normal general and
religious education. She dreamed of creating a modern orphanage where the
children would enjoy more freedom, where they would live as happier
individuals, in better conditions than in the three rooms on the third floor
among tens of other neighbors.

Cyrele (Cesia)
Szajn

After long hard work, her dream came true. The big orphanage was built, a
building that was the pride of the city and a joy for those who helped realize
this plan. True that there was a committee by the Benevolent
Society that was busy with the construction of the building, but the
force behind it all was Cyrele Szajn,  she wasn't satisfied alone with
going around and collecting of funds by the wealthy Bendiner people; but
committed on her own a very substantial, respectable sum of money.

After the Home was opened she threw herself into work with full energy and
became the soul  of the Home. She also followed up with the older
children that left the home and helped them settle and establish themselves
either in an office, as an employee, each one according to his/her capability.

Cyrele's community public work was not limited only to philanthropy. As a true
and good Jewish daughter, she was also very close to Zionistic work. She was
one of the most devoted collectors for the Keren Hayesod and other Zionistic
funds. She met very often in her home in the evenings with the delegates of
Keren Hayesod and under her influence they always reached very good results.
Aside from that, she was never too tired to go herself to visit the Keren
Hayesod contributors in order to increase the sums collected. All the Keren
Hayesod delegates knew that if Cyrele works with them, they are sure to have
success.

Thanks to her intelligence and sensitivity for Jewish social work, she was
elected as Councilor to the City Council, as representative of the Zionist
Organization. In the City Council, she also revealed her energy and her good
orientation in city matters. Her speeches in points of matter were heeded in
full earnest. Her calm and understanding of city problems called forth from
all, including non-Jews great respect for her person. Cyrele Szajn's
relationship with people was simple and friendly. We remember that there were
Jewish women in the city that had been raised in the Polish language and kept
their distance from the Jewish masses. Cyrele, on the other hand, welcomed into
her home, with a lot of warmth, people from a lower class who came to discuss
with her their problems. She received them all in a friendly manner, spoke to
them in Yiddish, accompanied them to the door, and would always add that her
house is always open for them.

When she was confronted with problems that she, herself, could not decide, then
she sought advice by others. When it was a question of educating and raising
the orphans, or about religious issues, then her permanent advisor was Icchok
Wygodski. She confided in him everything, including which teacher or melamed is
good for the children. Often the writer of this article received a phone call
with these words: Mr. Liwer, please come up to me. I'd like to discuss
with you certain matters. Another person to whom she turned to often was
Dr. Weinziher, for whom she had a great respect and confidence. She was popular
in all classes, and everyone treated her with respect and gratitude for her
untiring activities on all social issues. She did everything discreetly,
without publicity, but it was felt that she did it with a warm Jewish heart.

She belonged to the Szajn family, known outside of Bendin as well, that
throughout the years portrayed much interest in Jewish and general questions;
among them great benefactors to Israel funds. Cyrele, however, gave even more
 because she gave of herself, her time, her energy; she gave her life for
the good of the public.

The bloody Nazi murderer also killed this wonderful Cyrele, together with her
husband and their only son. May her memory remain with us forever. We, who knew
her personally and cooperated with her, always admired this dear Jewish
daughter, who throughout her life remained alert to soothe the needs of the
poor Jewish masses, and at the same time helped build that magnificent edifice
 the Land of Israel.

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